Merry Christmas

I know that December 25th isn't Jesus real birthday. There are obviously some issues with the "Christmas Story" in the gospels. But, there is one thing that I am really happy about. I am happy that Jesus came to earth.

You see, as stupid as it sounds, I still believe that Jesus is, was, and always be God. And this God himself became a man and lived a sinless life, just to die for me. He did all this to remove the guilt of sin from my soul, and to open the way for us to be in relationship.

That sounds pretty "out there." But, I was just reading about the fact that there are billions of galaxies, each made up of billions of stars. Here I sit, a 6 foot piece of breathing dirt who cannot fathom the enormity of THIS galaxy, not to speak of BILLIONS of them. Who am I to say that the living power behind this enormous existence couldn't do what I consider impossible and crazy.

So, when I look at the lady behind the counter and say "Merry Christmas" she probably won't understand the musings that inspire that statement. But maybe, if I include a sincere smile, she will encounter some of the love of the God that the statement represents.

And, that is what I hope you experience when you read these words: Merry Christmas!

Respect

We are a culture without respect.

If you listen to people talk, they don't treat any authority figures with respect. Someone recently joked with me using the words of the Pledge of Allegiance, saying that they want it to be "one nation under ME."

Unfortunately, that is how I see our culture. Everything is about what is best for ME. So, when authority challenges our momentary pleasure, we wind up ignoring or attacking the authority.

This cultural lack of respect is killing us. We live our lives without listening to the wisdom of an older generation. When someone tells us we are wrong, we reject them immediately, and rebel against their authority.

Consider now, the stark contrast to this in the life of Jesus. In Luke 2, we read a story about Jesus being in the temple. His parents were looking for him. But, at the temple, Jesus had found his life's purpose and calling. He knew he had to be about His Father's business. Yet, when his parents confronted him, he WENT WITH THEM AND WAS OBEDIENT TO THEM.

What would our culture look like if we stopped asking WWJD and started DOING what Jesus did? What authority figure would you start listening and submitting to?

Creation or Darwin

I watched most of "expelled" last night. Interesting. This post is to say why I cannot believe Darwin's explanation of a Godless evolution of creation.
1. Where did it all come from? If the whole universe evolved from one exploding mass, where did that mass come from? If that question cannot be explained, then FAITH is the basis of the entire argument. I readily admit that I have faith in a Creator. He is the uncaused cause. That is my faith, and it is just as scientific as any other explanation.
2. How did life come from matter. According to Darwin, it just "poof" appeared. A chunk of dead matter all the sudden became alive when shocked by lightning or something like that. But, try as they might, no one can reproduce life out of nothing.
3. What did these new species mate with? We know that animals cannot mate with other species. So, how did they reproduce? They had to miraculously appear in the next stage with a male and female at the same time.
4. I have read, "Origin of the Species, by means of natural Selection for the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life." There are two chapters devoted to the premise that black people are being raised to a higher level of evolution by being forced to interact with white culture. Where are the cries of RACISM? The scientists made "missing links" that looked like a black man with a little more hair and slightly different facial structure. Does no one see that when the book was written in 1859, the world was struggling with the issue of subjugation of black Africans to slavery.
5. The results of believing evolution is to believe that there is no such thing as morality, good, right & wrong, purpose, authority, etc... So, you wind up with a Nazi world view (Hitler was greatly influenced by Darwinian Philosophy). The weak and sick are to be killed and/or ruled by the strong. If we are accidents and without eternal purpose, why not be Hitler. Enjoy a few years and then be conquered by those weak people!
These are just a few rambling thoughts, but I wanted to put them somewhere.

The Kingdom (Part 2)

So, I have never understood why Jesus would say, "Whoever is not against you is for you" (Luke 9:50). And, then just a little while later say, "He who is not with me is against me" (Luke 11:23). Those two statements seem to be in direct contradiction to one another.

There is a lesson we need remember when interpreting anything.... CONTEXT.

The first passage, Jesus is dealing with exclusion of those who are different. The disciples were arguing about who was the greatest and trying to 'one up' the others so they would be seen as the important one. Jesus responds to this exclusion by including anyone doing the same work.

In the second passage, Jesus has just been accused of casting out demons by satan's power. Here this statement is about limiting who is included in the kingdom. Those who want to be resistant to God and attack His kingdom are excluded.

Let's see if I can illustrate: Say I start a youth basketball league. It is for training and instruction. By the very nature of the league, we will accept all players who want to learn basketball, no matter how bad they are. If they are willing to learn, they are in... BUT, what if one young man shows up every week with soccer cleats and only wants to kick the ball. At some point, we have to tell that young man that this is NOT soccer but basketball.

It is the same with the kingdom of God. If you want to participate, you have to play according to the rules. You are accepted until you try to turn God's Kingdom into whatever you deem as important. I guess that is why the entry fee into this kingdom is the declaration "Jesus is LORD."

Fear of the Lord

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Prov. 9:10)
"Perfecting holiness out of reverence (fear) for God." (2 Cor. 7;1)

The Greek word for fear (and at times reverence) is fobu. The meaning is to be afraid...

I recieved an e-mail today from a man I greatly respect. He was "going off" on the fact that Americans are constantly talking about the love of God, but seldom want to mention the "fear of God."

There is this transition that happens as we mature. When I was young, I was afraid to go against my dad. He disciplined me, and I learned to obey. But, as I grew into a young man, I no longer feared his discipline. In fact, I remember vividly the day that we were wrestling, and I knew I could take him. I was 19 and home from college and we were goofing around. I had been in enough fights to know that hearing him say "uncle" was just one simple move away. I didn't do it.

From that day on, things changed with me and dad. Honestly, things got better. He actually asked me questions, and wanted my input. And, I still feared him, but not his disipline, but his disapproval.

The beginning of wisdom is to be afraid of God, but as we mature, we learn what it means to respect God. We no longer do what is right because we are afraid of his punishment, but of disappointing our Father.

If you are at the beginning.... be afraid, He alone has the power to send you to hell (Matt. 10:28) But, if you are a little older in Christ, begin learning what it is to respect God so much that you would never want to do anything that dishonor's Him.

The Kingdom of God (part 1)

Several months ago, I acquired two books on the "Kingdom of God." These books could not have been written from two more diverse perspectives. One is more liberal, believing that Jesus is for all people, the other is ultra conservative, believing that the kingdom is for just a few followers who have special insight.

So lately, I have been reading the Gospels with an eye attuned to the "Kingdom of God." It makes reading the Gospels a lot more fun, when you are looking for some special purpose rather than just reading the same story over and over again.

What I am beginning to understand is that I don't understand the "Kingdom of God." To highlight what I am saying, consider this quote from one of those books:

"But today, if we speak of the kingdom of God, the original electricity is largely gone, and in its place we too often find a kind of tired familiarity that inspires not hope and excitement but rather anxiety or boredom." (Brian McLaren, The Secret Message of Jesus, 138)

We don't really understand the kingdom concept, because we live in a culture that has no "king." Our highest and most powerful officials are limited in their power (we hope) and are selected by the populace. But, in a real kingdom, the king is without equal and unquestioned in his power and authority. (That is why there were such power struggles to become and maintain a throne.)

So, the first step in understanding the kingdom is to recognize that it is centered around the KING. In this Kingdom of God, he is the king. He is the ruler, the power broker, the authority and the owner of it all. The kingdom doesn't exist for the subjects, but for the king.

So, our boredom with the subject is because we have this false notion that the kingdom of God is about us: another item to add to our already overcrowded lives. But when the message is declared, "The Kingdom of God is at hand," it is a message that God is about to establish HIS rule and authority.

More later....

I recieved a communication the other day inviting me to an event. One part of the instructions described proper attire for the day. "Business casual" was the heading and then was detailed as sport coat and dress slacks, tie optional.

Ok, those in authority can make the rules, that is cool. But, then I started wondering, is this how I communicate?

Could dress casual be jeans, sportcoat & tie? What about dress pants, shirt & tie?

Keeping the Faith

There is a misconception out there about Christianity: If we can get people to "feel" their faith, then they will grow in Christ. The problem is that it doesn't work.

Two-thirds of all adults in America say they have "made a commitment to Christ." I was astounded to learn that 82% of adults have attended a Christian church, most for at least three months. In fact, "a vast majority of teenagers will spend a significant amount of their teen years participating in a Christian congregation... but within a decade, most of these young people have left the church and will have placed their emotional connection to Christianity on a shelf." (Unchristian, 74)

It is easy to have feelings, but it is totally different to have a Christian worldview. The same research revealed that young people who held eight Christian doctrines to be true had "a substantially different faith." They not only held onto their commitment to Christ, but served, gave and lived different in areas of morality.

So, starting Sunday, August 1, we are going to take about 10 weeks and talk about what I am calling a "Christian world view." What are the eight doctrines? I am listing them below and would like feedback on how you view each statement.

1. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life.
2. God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and he still rules it today.
3. Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned.
4. Satan is real.
5. A Christian has a responsibility to share his/her faith in Christ with other people.
6. The Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches.
7. Unchanging moral truth exists
8. Unchanging moral truth is defined by the Bible.

Re Defining Success

Last night, Lebron James dropped the bomb that he was going to Miami to play and leaving his childhood home and the team that helped raise him into "international stardom." There seems to be a lot of talk going about this subject, so let me share my two cents worth.

What is the definition of success. Some players, like Jim Thome seemed to define success as how much money they make. Others, like Lebron left money on the table in an attempt (it seems) to pursue a championship(s) with his good buddies. His definition of success seems to be championships.

The problem with being the best or having the most money is that neither take into account the one thing that lasts after a person is gone. Is legacy only about being the best?

I think that the immediate uproar from Cleveland fans tells us that there is a larger expectation out of people. I know it sounds like I am old fashioned, but it seems that what Lebron left behind was loyalty.

The Cleveland fans sound like jilted lovers.Their lover ran off after someone who was "prettier, younger, more exciting, etc..." What is left behind is the people who are hurt. So, these same fans that swore their undying love to a basketball player now burn his jersey. I guess there was no loyalty there either. The irony of it all!!!!!

There are a lot of things that I could write, but let me simply give my definition of success.
"Those who know you the best, love you the most."
If we used that definition of success, we would be people who are loyal... even when it hurts.

I am concerned about the consumerism of our culture. When a person, product or profession no longer feels right, we just switch. Problems are avoided by running to a better option. We consume what makes us happy, and leave everything else behind. We have been taught by advertising that feeling good is the ultimate goal of life.

But, if we were to redefine success, our goal would be to make others better... and that hurts. It is a Sacrifice.

One final thought. Hitler, Napoleon, Alexander the Great were all great leaders and conquerors. Yet, none of us want our kids to grow up to be like them. All of us laud the life and effect of Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln, and many unknown people who sacrificed greatly. Why? Because success for them wasn't just having a list of accomplishments, but making life better for the people around them.... in a word, they were LOYAL.

I want to run after the pot of gold at some rainbow. I want to put my dreams first. I want it all, to be happy, to feel good, to have it all! But, my definition of success means that I will give up what I want. To quote Jesus, "I will take up my cross daily." Jesus did, and we are all better for it.

A Good Movie

I have a confession to make.... I really don't like movies. I know that sounds odd for a person in the 21st Century, but I find that reading a book is much more enjoyable than a movie because I get to create the scenes in my head.

Anyway, there is this movie that I think is good... stupid, too unrealistic, corny, etc... but good. The other day, I was watching Evan Almighty and was encouaged in my faith. There are several things I like about the movie.... except the tree hugger agenda and the really super stupid ending.

Back to the point. Evan is nuts in the eyes of his wife, so she leaves. She is eating at a diner and has a conversation with "God". When she says that her husband is nuts for building an ark God responds, "It looks like an opportunity."

Mrs. Noah asks, "What do you mean." God replies, "When you pray for patience, does God give you patience or give you opportunites to learn patience? When you pray for your family to be closer together... God gives you an opportunity."

That is good, and very frustrating at the same time. My problems aren't problems, they are opportunites.

There is this one verse that has been haunting me lately. It says about Jesus, "Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8).

Now, if Jesus needed to learn obedience, how much more should the situations that bring me suffering, difficulty and challenges teach me to be obedient. You see, that problem isn't a problem, it is an opportunity.

Do Your Job

"A church is not effective when the pastor ministers to the people, but rather when the BODY ministers to the BODY! Church members are not called to merely receive ministry... but OWN IT!" (Perry Noble)

"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:16

If you are a part of the body of Christ, you have a job. If you aren't doing your job, then we are all weaker.

Be Yourself

Today, on the way to work, I was listening to someone on Radio who was promoting a valid ministry (one I would never do). I was impressed that God gives each of us a job to do that no one else would do.

I am a pastor. I know the DNA that our church needs to have. My job is to keep us focused on the ministry that God has for us. There are hundreds of valid ministries to be done: political issues, AIDS, Justice, Muslim Outreaches, Revival Ministries, Race issues, etc... I could go on and on.

The fact is that although I (and our church) care about every one of these issues, if I focus on every need, I don't do what God called me to do.

My life calling is summed up in my life verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work hard with your hands, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

Who are you called to be? Do you know? If you are trying to be something you are not, you will not succeed, and you will not accomplish the very things God put you on this world to do. Part of being effective is not only knowing WHAT to do, but WHAT NOT to do.

Prayer

Yesterday, in my devotions, I was reading from Matthew 6. When I came to "The Lord's Prayer" instead of just reading the words, I began praying them and letting the meaning of each request resonate with me. Rather than saying a rote prayer, I actually took time and prayed through each stanza of the prayer.

Let me walk you through the prayer, so you can follow me:

"Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name..."
- Begin with a time of praise, focusing on the nature of God.

"Your kingdom come..."
- The kingdom of God is established in the hearts of those who have repented and turned to him. Use this time to pray for those you love who do not know Christ as Lord and Savior.

"Your will be done..."
- This is the time to present your requests, petitions and intercessions.

"Give us today our daily bread..."
- We all need money and provision to survive. This is the time to pray for God's provision and to thank him for what he has already given. Notice that we don't pray for daily abundance, but daily bread. Use this opportunity to confess your total dependence on God's provision; financially, physically, & emotionally.

"Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors..."
- We have all sinned and owe God more than we can ever repay. Thankfully, if we ask for forgiveness, He releases us from what we owe him. Since he freely forgives us for the wrongs we have done to him, we should also release those who have done wrong to us.

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil..."
- It is not enough to simply be forgiven, we need to reject future sinful actions. This is the place when we ask God to help us choose the right path.

"For yours is the kingdom, power and glory forever..."
- Although this stanza was not in the original, it can be found in a prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:11. It is a fitting way to end a time of prayer, recognizing God's superiority and authority over everything you have just prayed.

Now, try praying today. You might be suprised at all that God is able to do in and through you!!

R U Happy?

Today, I picked up a devotional (not my normal habit). The part I read asked a very good question: "What would it take to make you happy?"

The author related a few stories, a blind person who said, "If I could only see, I would be happy." Yet, there are many seeing people who aren't happy. Another person said, "If I had a job, I would be happy." Yet, how many people complain about going to work? Another sad, "If I were just married, I would be happy." One word: Divorce.

Happy, as defined in this world is getting one more thing. It is having some outside force come into your world to give you something you don't have. But, as we have just seen, these things may give momentary pleasure or relief, but they can never provide happiness.

Jesus defined the "happy" life to us in the Beattitudes. the Greek word "makarios" is translated "blessed." The Greek dictionaries say the word carries the addional meanings of "happy or fortunate."

So, what is the happy life? A person who is "poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry, merciful, persecuted and insulted."

Apparently, happy is more an attitude of the heart than beneficial conditions, pleasure or acquistion of stuff. What would happen if we started embracing happiness from Christ's point of view? What if we simply started being thankful to God for what we have instead of being grumpy about what we do not have?

Salt for Worship

So, I preached a few weeks ago about the need to be "salt" in the world. This morning, in my devotions, I ran across a text that spoke to me.

"Season all your grain offerings with salt. do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings: add salt to all your offerings." (Leviticus 2:13)

Apparently, the salt in us is not just for the world, but it is worship to God. When we live in a way that is wise before God, he recieves worship from us through it.

Melting Heart

I was in El Salvador last week working on a church. We mixed and poured 25 meters of cement... by hand. We put up nearly 30 sheets of tin on the roof (I personally put around 1,000 screws into that tin). And, on top of that, it was over 100 degrees every day.

Several of our team got sick, and I was one of them. Not to be too big of a baby, but I lay awake on Tuesday night, into Wednesday morning praying to puke. During a miserable night of sickness, I was dreading getting up and going to stand on that hot tin roof and drive screws into it. At that moment, just about anything would have been better.

That morning, I woke up and read Psalm 22. It starts with those words that Jesus said from the cross, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" It goes on to describe in detail crucifixion, although it would not be invented as a form of death for nearly a thousand years later.

The verse that captured my attention was, "My heart has turned to wax, it has melted away within me." That was how I felt... like shapeless wax, melting away. But I remember praying, "God, if you have to let me suffer this for someone to know you, I will."

Later on Wednesday, I had a chance to talk to Jose for about 2 hours as I shoveled sand into 5 gallon buckets. It was refreshing, renewing, invigorating. I didn't even know I was sick as I shared with him the love of Jesus and God's purpose for his life.

My heart melted, but even in the worst moments of that trip, I made the strongest impact. So, if you are melting... stand firm, because God can use you in your weakest point to make the biggest difference.

My Heart for Teens

So, every once in a while, I get a chance to talk to a teenager who is struggling with what to do with their life. Maybe their situation isn't the greatest, or they are confused. But, my answer is always the same.

DREAM!!! I wish I could pour out the passion inside me, but words fall short.

DREAM BIG!!! What would you love to do? to see? to experience? to know? What stirs your passion? makes you come alive? causes you to talk fast & get starry eyed?

Why not go after it? Why not pursue something bigger than your present world? There is a big world out there. Some would tell you it is dangerous, to be careful, but dangit... it was dangerous when David stood up and told big, bad Goliath that he had "had enough."

Why not take a chance now? When you are older, you will have responsibilities, a job, maybe a spouse and some kids, a mortgage. It is still possible to dream later, but you have to drag all those things along with you.

So, young man, young lady... What is your dream?

Some of you knew immediately. Go for it... if you fall short, AT LEAST YOU TRIED!

But, some of you have no idea what your dream is. You have lived your life with your head down, trying to be ignored. Well, it is time to lift up your head, to step up and fulfill God's destiny for you.

When Daniel didn't understand or know the dream, he and his friends fasted and prayed. His response is found in Daniel 2:23, "I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, You have made known to me what we asked of you, You have made known to us the dream..."

Right now, I pray with you...
"Dear Jesus, reveal Your dream to every young person that reads this. And, give them the courage to pursue that dream!"

Let Go

Wow, I was reading 1 John 1 this morning in the Greek. I came to verse 9... one I memorized years ago in church.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

So, here is what leaped out at me. That word "FORGIVE." In the Greek, the word is athiemi... which means, "to let go."

The metaphor for sin in the Old Testament is one of WEIGHT. Sins are seen as a burden that weighs a person down. In the New Testament, the metaphor is seen as a DEBT.

If you have ever been in debt, you know the incredible burden that is on you. You wait to open the bills... dreading the moment. And, you know that there is no easy way out. It is similar with sin. You OWE an unpayable debt. Your conscience, your mind, even your body is weighed down with a debt you cannot pay.

So, what is the good news? It is this... your debt, your weight, is "let go" by God. If you will confess your sin as sin, you can be free!!!

Thanks Jesus, for making us FREE!

No FEAR

In 1933, Martin Neimoller, a Lutheran pastor, heard Adolph Hitler speak. His wife asked him what he thought and he said, "I percieve that Herr Hitler is a terribly frightened man."

Fear is the biggest enemy of love. 1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear."

When we love, we treat people the way that builds them and brings out their best. When we fear, we don't act with confidence, so we undermine the very good things we long to see in others.

What would we do differently if we had love as our motivation instead of fear?

Doing the "Right Thing"

There is a basic rule I live by:
"Do the right thing, and eventually, it will pay off."

The problem with this way of viewing life is that the "right thing" is often the most difficult option. To do what is right, we have to learn to "control our bodies", "take our thoughts captive" and "crucify our flesh."

I read this great quote the other day: "Temperance comes from consistently making the right decisions by crucifying the flesh daily and learning how to control your appetite. Just because you crave something does not mean you need it. As the head goes, so goes the body." (Drew Shockley, Ministry Today, Feb. 2010, 41)

God, please help me to control my appetites today, so that I am spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally healthy in the future.

Pain?

It seems that I am hearing a lot about people who are struggling through difficult times. When I read the following quote, I thought it was worth sharing.

"If God has singled you out to be a special object of His grace, you may expect Him to honor you with stricter discipline and great3er suffering than less favored ones are called to endure. If God sets out to make you and unusual Christian, He is not likely to be as gentle as he is usually pictured by popular teachers. A sculptress does not use a manicure set to reduce the rude unshapely marble to a thing of beauty. he uses the saw, the hammer and the chisel. They are cruel tools, but without them, the rough stone must remain forever formless and unbeautiful. To do this supreme work of grace within you, he will take from you, and take from your heart everything you love the most. Everything you trust in will go from you. Piles of ashes will lie where your most precious treasures used to be. And in this you will learn what faith is and you will find out the hard way.... You will learn too, that present spiritual joys may come and go as they will, without altering your spiritual status or in any way effecting your position as a true child of the Heavenly Father. And, then you will also learn probably to your astonishment, that it is possible to live in all good conscience before God and men and still feel nothing of the peace and joy you hear talked about so much by immature Christians.' (A.W. Tozer)